A US delegation to the United Nations on Monday briefly walked out of a UN Security Council meeting that a French representative was addressing. The rare move was a reaction to earlier French criticism of the US position on human rights.
A resolution calling for the reappointment of the UN high commissioner for human rights had been adopted by the UN General Assembly on Friday. The United States opposed the move, arguing that the incumbent is not neutral in dealing with Israel.
After Friday's decision, the French mission to the UN in Geneva referred to the US in a social media post saying: "The US used to be a beacon of human rights. Not anymore. Today, it stands alongside North Korea, Nicaragua, Mali & Russia, isolated. And the world no longer listens to it."
The French mission also posted an image showing how various countries voted, demonstrating that the US opposed the resolution alongside Russia, North Korea and Israel, among others.
After leaving Monday's UNSC meeting, US deputy ambassador to the UN Dan Negrea returned to his seat and explained the reason for the walkout.
He accused France of "disingenuous grandstanding." He said, "We will not be affording them the benefit of listening to their politicized drivel until they renounce their condescending and disrespectful rhetoric."
Last year, the US government under President Donald Trump announced that it would withdraw from the UN Human Rights Council.